The present invention relates to a masonry system that allows a decorative design to be formed in a wall constructed of individual masonry blocks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a masonry system including at least three specifically designed masonry blocks that can be strategically positioned during the construction of a wall to form a decorative design in the wall.
The outer walls of many buildings are constructed from either individually stacked masonry blocks or precast concrete slabs. A building constructed from stacked masonry blocks provides design and construction advantages, since stacked masonry blocks can be assembled in unlimited configurations to provide greater flexibility in the design of the building and reduced building material costs. However, in a building having a large wall, conventional masonry blocks that have a generally smooth face surface create a stark, unattractive, smooth wall surface that is often undesirable to the architect designing the building. For this reason, precast concrete slabs are often chosen because of the large number of patterns that can be formed in the precast slabs.
Different types of masonry block have been developed to provide architects with greater flexibility in designing the overall outside and/or inside appearance of a building constructed from masonry block. For example, masonry blocks have been developed having an extended front face surface relative to the other blocks used in the building, thereby allowing the architect to create protruding horizontal bands that extend across the walls of the building. Additionally, masonry blocks having a series of vertical flutes have been designed to allow architects to design a building having vertical columns or grooves formed in its walls.
While these types of masonry blocks provide architects with a greater degree of flexibility in designing the outside appearance of a building formed from masonry block, the advent of precast concrete slabs has increased the number of designs that can be formed on the outer facade of a building. However, precast concrete slabs increase the cost of a building and limit the size and types of designs available for the architect, since the size of the building must be made in multiples of the concrete slab dimensions. Additionally, the type of design chosen must be selected from a catalog determined by the concrete slab manufacturer.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a masonry system that allows an architect or designer to form a pattern in the outer facade of a building constructed from stacked masonry block. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a masonry system that allows both horizontal and vertical belts to be formed in the facade of the building. It is a further object of the invention to provide a masonry system that includes individual masonry blocks that allow the horizontal and vertical belts to be joined at corners. It is a further object of the invention to provide a masonry system including vertical blocks that have a decorative band formed in the front face surface of the block that extends in the vertical direction. It is a further object of the invention to provide a horizontal block having a decorative band extending horizontally along the front face surface of the block. Additionally, it is an object of the invention to provide an intersect block having decorative bands extending in both the horizontal and vertical direction along the front face of the block.
Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an intersect block that allows for a horizontal to vertical transition between the horizontal decorative band on the horizontal block and the vertical decorative band on the vertical block of the masonry system. It is still a further object of the invention to provide a masonry system in which the decorative band on each of the blocks includes a chamfer angled inward from the front face surface. It is a further object of the invention to provide a decorative band on each type of masonry block that includes a generally flat outer edge surface positioned either between the chamfer and an outer edge of the respective masonry block or the front face surface and the chamfer of the block.